Lua Hadar with TWIST: Like A Bridge was recorded live at the legendary Fantasy Studios in Berkeley, CA. Lua’s eclectic world jazz sound, in 7 languages, draws from many nationalities and styles, connected by our common humanity. Instrumentation: vocals, piano, acoustic and electric bass, drums, global percussion (udu, cajon, dumbek, shakers), reeds, koto, cello, jazz accordion.

Since its inception in 2007, Hadar’s global jazz band TWIST has developed a reputation for twisting the style of international standards, performing original numbers and presenting songs in different languages. The new recording features songs in English, French, Italian, Spanish, Japanese and Malagasy, the language of Madagascar, using the Bridge as a metaphor for the connections we can make with each other to foster world unity and harmony.

TRACKS:1- Bridge Over Troubled Water (5:53)Paul Simon; Paul Simon MusicThis American pop classic has been embraced by the world and beautifully expresses how all human beings can reach out to each other; person to person, country to country, culture to culture. Larry De La Cruz solos on alto sax, adding to the rich warmth of Lua’s vocal in this world beat rendition.

2- Beyond the Sea/La Mer (French) (5:25)Charles Trenet, Albert Lasry. SDRM & France Music CorporationJazz Accordion – Dave MiotkeCharles Trenet’s La Mer was Americanized and popularized by Bobby Darin. In contrast, Lua’s rendition is steeped in French nostalgia, even quoting the French children’s song about dancing on a bridge, Sur le Pont D’Avignon (On the Bridge of Avignon), performed in a round with jazz accordion, piano and voice. The jazz accordion solo by the adept David Miotke moves as fast as the silver reflections on the Mediterranean.

3- Raha Mbola Misy (Malagasy) (4:04)Bessa sy Lola; with permission of the songwriterA folk classic from the island of Madagascar, the former French colony off the east coast of Africa. Sung by Lua in the original Malagasy language and twisted as a samba, the lyrics ask, encouragingly, “If there is still a smile and time to share happiness, why waste your winter nights crying, hungry for the light?” Larry De La Cruz solos on flute.

4- San Francisco (French) (3:58)Maxime Le Forestier; Editions CoincidencesThe French pop tribute to the now famous Blue House has recently celebrated its 40th anniversary, after Le Forestier introduced millions to the culture of San Francisco in 1971. Along with Music Director Jason Martineau, Lua met and sang with and for Le Forestier in June 2011. Inspired by this meeting, TWIST recorded San Francisco as a funk tune with bass solo by Dan Feiszli and Hadar on the French lyric. “It is a Blue House, couched in my memory; we come on foot, no need to knock, they’ve thrown away the key.”

5- Child of Man (4:49)Achinoam Nini (aka Noa), Gil Dor. Universal-MCA Music PublishersIsraeli-born, American-bred singer-songwriter Noa has achieved great popularity, singing with the Israeli Philharmonic and in such venues as Lincoln Center. A joyous celebration of life, this world beat anthem is enhanced by global percussionist Ian Dogole on the udu. Only the last line is in Hebrew, “I wish I were a flower or a tree.”

7- Sukiyaki/Ue o Muite Aruko (Japanese) (4:24)R. Ei, H. Nakamura; T. Leslie, B. Cason. Beechwood Music Corp.Koto – Fumiko Ozawa Ue o Muite Aruko made its debut on the world pop stage in 1963, known then as Sukiyaki, so that the pre-globalized world could pronounce the title. A song of dignity and hope, it was notably reprised after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, encouraging the devastated populace to “walk with its head up.” Music Director Jason Martineau collaborated with koto player Fumiko Ozawa, learning the “vocabulary” of the koto in order to create a new east-west arrangement of the pop classic, sung by Lua in Japanese and English. TWIST was honored to perform this song at the West Coast’s most famous jazz spot, Yoshi’s Jazz Club and Japanese Restaurant, on the first anniversary of the tragedy (3/11/12)

8- Ojalá Que Llueva Café (Spanish) (3:28)Juan Luis Guerra. Karen Publishing Co.“If only it would rain coffee on the people, and on the fields.” And not only coffee; also yucca and tea, watercress and strawberries, flour and rice and bacon. Lua sings this exuberant anthem of the 99% in Spanish, backed up by the driving force of Celso Alberti on the drum set, Ian Dogole on cajon, with Larry De La Cruz wailing on tenor sax.

9- Isfahan (Instrumental) (5:47)Billy Strayhorn; Duke Ellington’s Far East Suite. Tempo Music Inc.The Far East Suite (1966) was inspired by a world tour undertaken by cultural ambassador Duke Ellington and his orchestra in 1963, which took them to the Middle East, India and North Africa. The Khaju Bridge in Isfahan, Iran, is regarded as one of the most beautiful bridges in the world. Our arrangement of Strayhorn’s Isfahan features Jason Martineau on piano, Dan Feiszli on bass, Larry de la Cruz on alto.

10- Stregata dall’Amor/Ravel’s Bolero (Italian) (5:26)Love theme from La Strada – Nino Rota, M. Galdieri, H. Shear, R. Wiegand. Universal-MCA Music Publishing/Bolero – Maurice Ravel. SDRM & Universal Music MGB SongsMartineau’s arrangement pairs the love theme from Fellini’s La Strada and its palpitating Italian lyrics with the world famous Ravel’s Bolero. Hadar sings with passionate intensity: “You say you do know how to love, you say you cannot love; but you are bewitched by love!” Celso Alberti on the snare drum and Larry De La Cruz on the classic soprano sax theme.

First Review 5/22/12, TIMES SQUARE CHRONICLES, by joe Regan Jr.

I’m late with several of my reviews but I want everyone to know what an extraordinary achievement Lua Hadar’s new CD is. I reviewed Hadar’s show at the Iridium in 2008 and was impressed with her vocal range and the fact that she sang several songs in several languages but you understood the emotion and meaning of the songs even if you did not know the language. My review, at the time, was translated into Thai when she appeared at the Bangkok 10th International Festival that year. Personally, I can understand French and Spanish very well, and have knowledge of Italian and Portuguese from travel in those countries.

Hadar’s new CD, “Like A Bridge,” was recorded live at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley, California, USA this year. She appeared a month ago in New York with her musicians but I had a prior commitment that night and could not attend. Two years ago she had two sold out performances at the Cornelia Street Café, a jazz club in the village.

Hadar is a well known advocate of world peace and “Like A Bridge” encourages people to be like a bridge to each other; to promote bridging languages, culture, ideas. It takes a water theme to promote world peace. Opening with a Latin rhythm on Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Waters,” she gives new meaning to the well known lyrics when you hear her sing this standard in this rhythm. Similarly, Trenet’s “Beyond the Sea” is sung in French with several key changes and brilliant accordion support. At one point Hadar actually does a duet with the accordion.

She sings in French, a beautiful melody I had never heard before, Maxine Le Forestier’s “San Francisco,” about a blue house in which it sounds like hippies resided. It is memory song about where are they now and what harmony lived there, the long haired ones, big beds and music, peopled with light and peopled with crazy people. Everyone was always there at 5 PM; they never knocked, those who lived there had thrown away the key.

She sings in Spanish “Ojala que Llueva Café,” a meringue by Juan Luis Guerra from the Dominican Republic which translates as if it would only rain coffee in the fields and the impact it would have on the poverty of the farmers so their government would not ignore them.

Hadar sings a strong international peace song in English “Child of Man,” by Achinoam Nini and Gil Dor. The song is almost five minutes long but Hadar’s vocal range builds and builds it to a heartbreaking climax.

The Japanese selection, “Ue O Muite Arukou/Sukiyaki,” which features Fumiko Ozawa on the koto, is a serious torch song which Hadar sings in Japanese and English.

The band Twist does an almost six minute solo on Strayhorn’s “Isfahan” from Duke Ellington’s Far East Suite and it’s impressive to hear this piece played by these extraordinary musicians.

One of the most brilliant selections on the CD is the final piece, a blending of Nino Rota’s well known theme from La Strada, “Stegata Dall’amor” with Ravel’s “Bolero.” Hadar sings the lyrics in Italian which translate “You who do not know how to love/You who cannot love/You are bewitched by love. There are your eyes/Colder than ever/but what fever in your heart.” Hadar’s rendition is sexy and sad and the “Bolero” sections contribute to the mood of the song, a relentless sadness, and you will recall the unforgettable performances of Anthony Quinn, Richard Basehart, and Guilietta Masina from the film and, if anything is a reason to buy this CD filled with treasured performances, this selection would be the one.

What a great & unexpected collection of tunes! My favorite is one I never heard before, "San Francisco" which suits this singer perfectly. I also love how she and her group combine Stregata Dall'amour and Ravel's Bolero, such a sophisticated arrangement -- and also the simplicity of Sukiyaki/Ue O Muite Aruko -- another inspired combination... Looking forward to hearing more like this!

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